Systems are known to detect threats within secured areas. Threats may be based upon the occurrence of any of a number of different events that represent a risk to human safety or security or a risk to assets. For example, a fire may represent a threat to human occupants of a secured area not only because of the possibility of burns, but also because of the possibility of death due to smoke inhalation.
The presence of unauthorized intruders within a secured area may also represent a threat in the case where an intruder may be a burglar intent on the theft of assets. However, a burglar could also be a threat to the safety of human occupants who interfere with the theft.
Security systems are typically based upon the use of one or more sensors that detect a specific threat within the area. The sensors may be fixed devices and/or mobile devices, such as a FOB. For example, fire, smoke, and/or intrusion detectors may be distributed throughout the secured area in order to mitigate damage through the early detection of fire or intrusion. The sensors can be supervised or unsupervised.
In most cases, the sensors may be monitored by a control panel. In the event that one of the sensors is activated, the control panel may activate a local audible alarm to warn occupants in the area of the threat. The control panel may also send an alarm message to a central monitoring station. A portable device, such as key fob, may be used to send emergency alerts (e.g., panic alarms, medical alerts, police alerts, etc.) to the control panel and also to send commands (e.g., arm, disarm, etc.) to the control panel. The control panel may also include a keypad and an audible siren.
In the case of industrial or public spaces, security systems may cover large areas and incorporate hundreds or even thousands of sensors. In order to accommodate such large numbers of devices, the control panel and sensors may be connected via a wireless interface.
However, security systems are often difficult to set up and use with such large numbers of sensors. Accordingly, a need exists for better methods of maintaining contact between a control panel and each of the sensors in a wireless security system.